Target.



J. P. NEWBOLD.

TARGET.

APPLIGAHON FILED APR. 9, 1909.

975,71 1 Patented N0v..1`5, 1910.

TOI-IN P. NEWBOLD, 0F CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY.

TARGET.

Application filed April 9, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. i5, 1910.

Serial No. 488,945.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I7 JOHN I). Nnwonn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cape May, county of Cape May, State of N ew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Targets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement l in targets, and it has for its object to provide a target of glass or similar material which when punctured will be completely demolished.

A further object is to provide means which will give visual indication that the target has been hit; and a still further object is to provide means whereby such destruction of the target is evidenced by an accompanying report which may be heard by the marksman or gunner.

A convenient embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings7 but it will be understood that changes in the form or shape of the target and in other details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings :-F igure l is a top plan view of a target embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same; and F ig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Referring` to the drawings z--l designates the target which in the construction shown is convex upon one side as at 2 and concave upon the other side as at 3. the said top and bottom sides being connected by the inclined circumferential section or portion 4. This shape or form may be altered as desired.

The target is hollow as is clearly indicated in F ig. 2 of the drawings.

Preferably the target consists of soluble glass, for the reason that the latter kind of glass dissolves when exposed to the moisture of the atmosphere, the dews and the rain, which obviously is very desirable. I-Iowever, it may consist of any suitable frangible material.

In order that the surface of the glass shall be rough so that a shot striking the same will not glance away without entering the target or fracturing it, I have provided its surface with narrow grooves G as indicated. These grooves may be located as closely together as is found necessary and desirable.

IVhen the target is made of soluble glass, it necessary that it should be protected from the action of the moisture in the atmosphere. Accordingly I provide a coating of enamel or shellac l0 which extends over the entire surface of the target. By so coating the target it may be exposed to all kinds of weather' without injury.

In order that there may be visual evidence of the striking and breaking of the target, I inclose a substance ll within the target which floats in the air when the target is exploded. Preferably I employ the furry substance found upon the cat-tail plant. Then the target is broken to pieces by the impact of the shot or the inrush of air, as hereafter explained, the floating substance scatters :in the air and may be readily seen.

In order that the target may be completely demolished even though but the slightest puncture therein is made, I exhaust the air therefrom. This may be done in any known way. By reason of the fact that the hollow space in said target is a vacuum. if it is punctured the surrounding air rushes in and occ-z sions the shattering and complete destruction of the target and in so doing occasions a report sufficiently loud to be heard by the gunner or marksman from whose gun the shot was fired which punctured or fractured the target.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. A target consisting of a hollow device of soluble glass having a moisture-proof coating over its surface.

A target consisting of a hollow device of soluble glass from which the air has been exhausted and in which is inclosed a substance which is adapted to float when the target broken and the surface of the said target being coated with a thin layer of moisture-proof material.

3. As an article of manufacture, a target consisting of a device of soluble frangible material having a moisture-proof coating over its surface.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 7th day of April, A.. D. 1909.

JOHN P. NEBOLD.

In the presence of- CYRUs N. ANDERSON, CARRIE E. KLEINFELDER. 

